Development of alternative models in the experimental paracoccidioidomycosis to evaluate the pathogenicity and treatment with monoclonal antibodies in Galleria mellonella

• Grant number: 15/06547-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Pelleschi Taborda
• Grantee: Luciana Thomaz
• Home Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In recent years, several studies have been moving towards new models of infection that replace and/or reduce the use of animals for experimentation, according to the guidelines proposed by the Arouca law and the objectives of the National Network of Alternative Methods (RENAMA) the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The RENAMA aims to promote and encourage the deployment of alternative testing the use of animals. The use of models with invertebrates walks for inclusion in scientific research as a new alternative method to the use of vertebrate animals. The invertebrate larvae of Galleria mellonella are low cost, easy to maintain and manipulate their use can reduce the need for pathogenicity tests in mammals. The immune response of these insects is similar to that of mammals and consists of structural and passive barriers, generating cellular and humoral responses through hemocytes into the hemolymph. With the invasion of a pathogen, this becomes exposed to a variety of cellular mechanisms that interact in host defense. Due to the importance of replacing the use of mice and the search for new therapeutic targets in fungal diseases, this work will consist in the evaluation of two monoclonal antibodies generated against the yeast P. brasiliensis, which tests will be in G. mellonella larvae, which will bring advances to the use of invertebrates as a screening routine tool, thus reducing the number of guinea pigs in research groups.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

THOMAZ, LUCIANA; DE ALMEIDA, LUIZ GUSTAVO; SILVA, FLAVIA R. O.; CORTEZ, MAURO; TABORDA, CARLOS P.; SPIRA, BENY. In vivo Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Galleria mellonella. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 11, NOV 9 2020. Web of Science Citations: 0.